BLM Initiates Public Scoping on Proposed Wild Horse Ecosanctuary

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office is launching a 30-day public scoping period prior to preparing an environmental analysis for a proposed wild horse ecosanctuary approximately 30 miles west of Laramie, Wyo.

Located in the Centennial Valley, the 4,000-acre, family-owned Deerwood Ranch has applied to provide long-term, humane care for up to 400 excess wild horses gathered from Western public rangelands. Public lands are not included in this proposal.

If the proposal is approved, the BLM would sponsor the ecosanctuary at a funding level comparable to what the Bureau pays for the care of excess wild horses on long-term pastures in the Midwest. The ecosanctuary would be publicly accessible and provide ecotourism opportunities. In addition, the partnership agreement would contain a fundraising component that would defray costs for operating the sanctuary and save taxpayer dollars.

Public comments are most useful when they are specific, cite additional relevant issues, and/or determine the extent of those issues. To be considered in the environmental analysis, comments must be in writing and received by May 1. Fax, e-mail, mail, or hand-deliver substantive comments during regular business hours (7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) to:

Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.